Multiple Myeloma Support

Multiple myeloma support is a must for patients and their families suffering from multiple myeloma. Support for multiple myeloma can be extended in many ways. Multiple myeloma patients usually need support in the following areas,

Emotional and moral support

Support for understanding the disease and helping their families understand the disease

Emotional and moral support for multiple myeloma patients: Multiple myeloma is usually found in adults in their sixties. Dealing with the initial shock of acquiring this complex disease is very difficult at this age. Patients at this age often suffer from other age and life style related diseases. The extra burden of carrying this disease certainly causes anxiety and stress. This is where emotional support is most required.

Friends and family member must help generate a positive atmosphere at home and hospital .If you are a family member of such a patient, do make it a point to listen, to pay attention and to understand the patients' emotional needs. Help the patient remain in a vibrant and optimistic spirit. Do everything you can to cheer the patient and to help him lead a normal life.

Often the patients require psychological counseling. Trained social workers, cancer support workers and psychological counselors too can help the patient relieve his fears and anxieties.

Support for handling the disease: Myeloma is a difficult disease to understand. Unlike other cancers it doesn't immediately show up as visible tumors. It affects the whole body, almost all organs and bones. The patient must understand its impact and its risks before going in for treatments. Not only the patients but also his family members must understand how it can affect the patient's lifestyle and health.

Patient must be made to understand the importance of diagnostic tests and how they help the doctors decide the prognosis, stage and treatments for the patient. This may require support from specialist doctors. Often patients need to understand the necessity of early treatment. Support must be given to help the patient the gravity of the situation and the need for early treatment.

Support for finances: Diagnostics for all cancers are expensive. This involves use of complicated and expensive machinery like specialized microscopes or magnetic resonance imaging machines. Treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy are hugely expensive. Often they require long periods of hospitalization. Also dealing with cancer requires regular visits to specialist doctors, counselors, cancer care centers and hospitals. These add up to huge expenses. The patients therefore often need support for meeting these expenses.

Another aspect of multiple myeloma treatment is use of stem cell transplant treatment. This requires huge investment for finding the right donor, harvesting the stem cells and preserving and reintroducing the stem cells.

This where support in the form of donations, charity can come in handy. Insurance companies, financial institutions, charity organizations, governmental and nongovernmental organizations can come certainly help the patients meet his expenses. Finances can be provided indirectly by providing cheap or free medicine, free checkups or diagnostic tests, free counseling and low cost or free hospital services.

Support for family: A myeloma affected patient has to make regular clinic visits. Often he has to stay in hospital for long periods away from his family. Support is required to take care of his dependents. This includes looking after his children or elders. Support may be required to deal with emergencies and household errands. This is where social workers can play an active part. Volunteers can help around the house as well as at the hospital. Baby or child care centers, homes for the elderly too can support the children and the elderly relatives of the patients.

Multiple myeloma support can also be given in following ways,

Support by running telephonic helpline dedicated to multiple myeloma

Support for multiple myeloma through internet websites dedicated chat and forum sites

Support for multiple myeloma by running media ads in newspapers, radio and television spots

Support for multiple myeloma for organizing appointments, maintaining schedules for treatments and financial aid

Support for multiple myeloma can be publicized by honoring multiple myeloma survivors with the help of celebrities who can spread the cause

Support can be extended by organizing gala dinners or special dance balls for multiple myeloma patients

Multiple myeloma support thus works to help relive anxieties of the multiple myeloma patients. Do consider extending your support for such patients. Remember to give a helping hand to these patients.